Let It Rain
by MonkeyPajamas
Summary: It's storming outside and Jane and Kurt spend some time together. Early Season One.


Author's Note: Don't own _Blindspot_. Just love to play with these characters. Set early season one time frame.

* * *

 _The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain._

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Kurt glanced nervously out the windows of the NYO. It had been raining all day, just like the weatherman predicted this morning. It hadn't seemed that bad when they were out in the field earlier. A bit heavy at some times, sure, but nothing too worrisome. But in the past few hours, while they were at work inside the office, it seemed to have worsened into a massive storm. From his vantage point on the 16th floor of the FBI headquarters, the storm looked menacing. Usually, he could see Central Park off in the distance, but now today, the dark clouds shrouded the tops of even the closest buildings.

Kurt sighed, grabbing his jacket from his chair before heading back to the locker room. The drive home was going to be terrible. New York was no stranger to stormy weather, but without fail, every time it rained, traffic was a nightmare. Didn't help that the subways were prone to flooding, nearly doubling the amount of people walking or trying to hail a cab. Rain brought out the worst in New Yorkers, it seemed – everyone was on a short fuse, trying to get out of the storm.

He was just about to leave when he heard another locker slam shut. He hadn't expected anyone else to be here this late – the office had been quiet for a while, even his team had left a short time ago. He couldn't see her, but nearly instantly, he knew it was Jane. Everything about her had become so familiar over the past few weeks – the unmistakable sounds of her shuffling feet; the faint coconut scent of her shampoo; even the way she always sighed as she shut her locker.

"Jane?" he asked, turning the corner to see Jane's locker. She was standing in front of it, not really looking at anything. He had caught her like this before. While most of the team was ready to go home and relax at the end of the long day, Jane seemed to dread it. She'd stay at the office later than the rest, taking her time getting, waiting for someone to walk down with before meeting her detail.

"Oh, hey, didn't hear you come in," Jane's voice was soft. She had been alone in the locker room for a while now, it seemed, ever since the last random agent had filtered through a few minutes ago. Truthfully, she was dreading going home. She had seen the storm from the windows, and the idea of driving home in it was more than her nerves could take. Being out in the rain with the team earlier hadn't been bad, but then again, there was the case to distract them. But at the safe house, all she had was time – time for her thoughts, time for her worries, and now tonight, time to listen to every thunder clap, every rain drop. She didn't necessarily think she was afraid of thunderstorms. It's more like it was just a reminder of how alone she was, with everyone else huddled inside their own place, the streets emptied.

Weller stepped closer to her, "I thought you'd left already." He knew her well enough by now that he could tell she was upset, although he wasn't sure why. She was so confident, so assured in the field with the team, but every once in a while, there was a crack. And then he was reminded of who she was, her unknown past, and all the questions that still haunted her. Maybe Mayfair was right to question his objectively when it came to Jane. But seeing her like this, alone, frightened, he couldn't help but reach out, to try and calm her, comfort her.

"Uh, my details downstairs," Jane refused to look Weller in the eyes, glancing towards the exit instead. She couldn't do this, not today. It would just hurt that much more when she was alone.

He knew how much she must be dreading going home. She wouldn't even look him in the eye, instead, glancing forlornly at the exit, down to where her detail was waiting. "Let me drive you," Kurt offered, surprising himself. His mind raced as he realized what he had just done. That wasn't part of his job. It was, however, exactly what her detail was for – to keep her safe whenever she wasn't with the team. He tried to rationalize it; her safe house wasn't that far out of his way, only a mile or so further than his apartment. And NYC was tricky enough to drive in, add in the crazy storm related traffic, well, that was just an unnecessary risk. But even still, he knew the real answer was much simpler. He knew he wouldn't really be able to relax until he knew she had made it home safe.

Jane looked at him surprised, but nodded in agreement. When her detail drove her home, it was nearly in complete silence. Sometimes there would be a polite, "How are you today, ma'am?" or a "Goodbye, ma'am" but with the emotional detachment that come with their jobs. At least with Weller, she felt comfortable, even in the silence. In fact, being with him was about the _only_ place she felt truly comfortable these days.

As they pulled out of the parking garage, Weller silently stared ahead. The storm had only gotten worse since he last looked outside. The rain was coming down in sheets, making it nearly impossible to see even a few feet in front. Traffic was at a near standstill as everyone was fighting to make it home. They inched forward, finally pulling out behind a large bus that was impossible to see around and sprayed water at them as soon as it started moving.

They didn't talk much on the ride, only a few words here or there. Kurt was too busy concentrating on driving to be much of a conversationalist; Jane could see his knuckles turning white as he gripped the steering wheel. Whenever she tried to talk, or make an observation, she almost had to scream, to be able to be heard over the noise of the storm. The rain was beating against the roof, and the wipers were on full speed, trying to keep the torrential rain at bay. After the first few attempts, the ride fell silent.

Suddenly, Jane felt herself jerk forward, the seatbelt catching her just in time. She looked out front, not seeing anything that would warrant the sudden stop. She turned to Weller, his eyes were steely, looking straight again. "It's flooding," he said, hitting the steering wheel in frustration. "Dammit." He sighed before pulling over next to the curb. "Listen, Jane…" he started, turning towards her. "I'm sorry. It's just not safe." He had one job. He had to get her back to her safe house safely. That was it. And they hadn't even made it halfway there.

Jane stared at him, the worry and confusion evident on her face. What they going to do? She had never seen a storm this bad before (at least not that she remembered, she thought, her near constant qualifier). She felt safe with Weller, safer than she did anywhere else, but … Well, the streets were already flooding; the car shook with every clap of thunder. They couldn't stay here, on the side of the road, in a car, until the storm ended.

Weller had a sense of dread as he opened his mouth to speak. He knew this was stupid, that he was breaking every rule imaginable, even some that were so obvious the FBI never thought they had to write them down. "My place is only a few blocks away. It's closer than trying to go back to the office." He looked up, continuing quickly, "If that's too much, we can go back, really."

"No, your place is fine," Jane assured him. "I'd just like to get inside." As if on cue, a loud banging started echoing through their car, causing Jane to jump at the sudden noise. "What's that?" she asked her eyes wide with fright. Any comfort she had a moment ago was gone.

Weller frowned, "Hail." He could see them bouncing off the hood of the car. "We'll be fine, really. Sounds worse than they are," he fibbed. This hail was relatively small, pea sized he guessed. But this storm was nothing if not full of surprises, and he guessed the hail would be getting bigger before it stopped. "It's not that bad. I mean, they aren't great, but, we'll be fine," he repeated.

They slowly made their way to Kurt's apartment building; finding a parking space not too far away. Kurt grabbed the umbrella from the glove compartment. "Just wait, I'll come over to you," he said, opening his door. The rain rushed inside, it felt like needles stabbing him on his bare skin. He struggled to open the umbrella against the strong wind; it was almost a useless battle. Finally, he felt in control as the wind died down for a few seconds, and he could hurry over to the passenger side. He held the umbrella as close as he could over the door as he opened it, trying to protect Jane from the worst of the storm. "Careful," he said, offering his free hand to help her step over a puddle.

They ran inside as fast as they dared. Kurt's apartment hadn't seemed that far away when they were safe and dry inside the car, but they could have been a mile away with how far it was out in the storm. Weller purposely kept the umbrella over Jane, trying to protect her from the hail, wind, and rain. He got the brunt of it, though. His exposed skin felt raw, every raindrop, every piece of hail hitting with the full force of the gusting wind. He was soaked when they finally made it inside, a puddle forming at his feet as they stopped in the lobby.

"You're soaking!" Jane exclaimed, suddenly feeling guilty for how dry she was. She knew instantly what he had done, sacrificing himself to keep her dry, even as he was pelted with the rain and hail.

"It's not that bad," he lied. It was worth it though. Besides, he could go upstairs and get changed, a luxury Jane didn't have. Even still, he knew he would have done the same no matter where they were – his apartment, her safe house, the office, or even a random street corner. She was safe and dry, and that's what mattered right now. "I'm going to call your detail, let them know you're safe."

He pulled out his phone, quickly dialed the number for Jane's detail, letting them know she would be with him for the rest of the night, and to try and get home safe. "Good thing we turned when we did, they said your street's almost impassable. Already a few inches of standing water," he reported.

"Will they be able to get home safe?" Jane asked, suddenly worried about the nameless faces tasked to keep her safe.

"Oh yeah, they'll be fine." Weller brushed off the comment. Truth is, the storm wasn't the worst one he'd driven in. The hail was a worrisome addition, and the flooding streets made driving riskier, but he had also been out driving the day after Hurricane Sandy. You did what you had to do. But with Jane, that changed everything. He had seen how uncomfortable she was with the storm when they first left the parking garage. He knew then he wasn't going to risk anything. If that meant pulling off before absolutely necessary, well, so be it. "Let's just get upstairs," he said, leading the way.

They were alone in the elevator, most other residents either already huddled up to ride out the storm – or still fighting to get home. For the first time in a long while, their silence was awkward, neither knew quite what to say to the other. Weller was suddenly caught up in the thoughts about what was happening. He had, ostensibly, invited Jane to stay the night. His motives were honest; he was just doing whatever he could to keep her safe. But he also knew that any other case, any other person, the thought to take them home would not have even crossed his mind. If Jane hadn't been in the locker room, Weller probably would have just stayed the night at the office, sleeping in whatever chair he found. He'd done it before, on those nights when the cases ran late. But the instant he saw Jane, he knew then that he was going to do whatever it took to keep her safe. And tonight, that apparently meant taking her back to his apartment.

Jane for her part wasn't sure to make of this change of plans. She had been dreading spending the evening alone, but now realizing what it meant that she was at Weller's apartment. The last time she had been here – was it really only days ago? – it hadn't gone well. She had run out of his place midway through dinner, unable to take the pressure. But now, she was trapped here. Alone with Weller, and his family, who all desperately wanted her – needed her – to be Taylor. Suddenly she wished she had suggested they go back to the office. They could have slept there, ridden out the storm in a safe, neutral place.

Weller shifted nervously, the squelching of his wet shoes being the only noise on the ride up the elevator. He felt the need to say something, anything, to help lessen the tension, but words failed him. He was grateful when the ding signaled they had reached his floor, and suddenly, they were standing in his hallway, only a few doors down from his apartment. Weller had thought that maybe being out in the open, out of the confined area of the elevator would help alleviate some of the tension, but it seemed to amplify with every step they took closer to his apartment.

He nervously fiddled with the key, almost dropping it before successfully getting it into the lock. The apartment was silent when they entered, dark except for a single light left on in Sarah's room.

"Where's Sarah?" Jane asked, looking around, looking around the empty apartment. As much as she had been nervous about spending the night with Sarah, Sawyer, and the awkward pressure to remember something, now she was facing the realization of what it might be like to be there alone with Weller. Her heart was pounding as she thought about it, about that dance they had been doing over the past few weeks. Since that first day, when he was the first person to show her compassion, connection; he had slowly become everything to her. And now the thought of spending the night, alone together in his apartment was more than she could handle. She felt the same sense of nerves, of dread, that she had that other night. She bit her lip, trying to remain in control.

Weller was racking his brain. Where _were_ Sarah and the squirt? It was late enough that school would be over, and with this weather, baseball practice would have been cancelled…. Weller vaguely remembered her saying something this morning, about… what had she been talking about? "Oh! They're at Sawyer's dad's. Visitation. I guess she'll probably just stay there tonight." He smirked, "I'm sure Sarah will just _love_ that," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Jane couldn't help but smile. "What happened between the two of them?"

Kurt sighed, shaking his head. "He was a jerk. I never liked him, but of course, I think that made Sarah like him even more. When Sawyer came along, he tried to be a good dad. Really thought maybe he had changed – he did the midnight feedings, the diaper changes, but… a few years later, he was back to his old ways. One day, Sarah came home early, and found him in bed with someone else. He didn't even try to defend it." His tone had gotten angrier throughout his talk, remembering how hurt his sister had been, how much he had wanted to punch the guy when he found out. "So much for being a good dad," he scoffed. "So, Sarah moved out, and then in with me. Now Sawyer only sees his father every few weeks, if that. He made a new life, just one that doesn't include Sawyer."

"Oh," Jane could tell Kurt didn't think highly of the guy. Although, after hearing that, neither did she, and she hadn't even met him.

Kurt walked around, flipping on a few more lights, trying to brighten the place up. Usually at this time of day, the last rays of sunlight would have been streaming in the window, casting everything in the 'bright yellow glow' that Sarah was always going on about. But today, the storm clouds made it as dark as the middle of the night.

Jane followed him as he walked around, taking in more than she had been able to see that other night. There were touches of Sarah and Sawyer all around – the baseball mitt left on the floor, the romance novel on the end table with the half-naked guy on the cover, the Lego structure taking over the coffee table. But still, the apartment was undeniably Kurt's. As much as she saw him in the office, this was more intimate, as if she was seeing the real Kurt Weller for the first time.

Kurt's cell phone buzzed, and he picked it up, scoffing as he looked at the screen.

"Sarah?" she asked, curious.

Kurt handed it to her, showing her the notification. "Emergency: Severe Thunderstorm Warning," it read. "As if we didn't notice," he joked. It suddenly buzzed again, and Jane's face dropped when she read the newest notification. "Lightning Detected: Lightning 2 miles away." She knew that was close – her safe house was less than five miles from the office. Two miles was nothing. Kurt quickly glanced at the screen, swiping away the notification. "We're fine," he assured her. "We're safe inside. I'm just going to go change, okay. Make yourself comfortable, it looks like we might be in for a long night." He glanced around, for the first time seeing his apartment through Jane's eyes. "Uh… you can watch tv, or, uh, read a book?" He rarely was home, and when he was, his time was spent with Sawyer. He hardly ever had time just to relax and hang out at home, which had never bothered him before, but now seemed painfully awkward.

As Weller hurried off to get changed into dry clothes, Jane slowly walked around the living room, more interested in looking around his apartment than she was in actually entertaining herself. The grey walls had a few random pieces of abstract art that could have belonged to anyone, but she noticed Kurt's personality in the smaller things. The action movies left out around the tv, the way the mail was thrown on the counter, the tools shoved into a corner, and the bottle of wine on the cabinet. There was even a baseball, displayed in the mantle, autographed by some player she didn't recognize – clearly Sawyer's interest was inspired by his uncle.

"So, are you hungry?" Kurt's voice interrupted her thoughts. She turned towards him, her face brightening into a smile. Although he was never dressed to formally at work (a suit wasn't exactly the best for field work), she couldn't help but smile as she saw this casual, relaxed side of him. His jeans and tshirt were well worn, but still form fitting. She instantly could picture him cheering on Sawyer at his game, or working with the tools that were shoved into the corner. She felt like she was learning something new tonight, seeing who he really was outside of the office, when he wasn't just Special Agent Kurt Weller of the FBI. Jane unconsciously fingered the sleeves of her jacket, suddenly very aware of her own clothing, the same tank top and jeans she had worn that day to work.

"Yeah, dinner would be nice," she grinned. "Um, I hate to ask, but Sarah – "

Weller's laugh cut her off. "Sarah tries. I may not cook a lot, but I've been told I'm actually quite skilled in the kitchen. So, let's see what we have, shall we?" Weller led the way into the kitchen, quickly inspecting the fridge and pantry. Jane couldn't help but admire the ease in which he moved around, clearly comfortable in this space. He quickly pulled out a few ingredients, holding them to show Jane. "Spaghetti and meatballs?"

"Sure, I guess. Never had it before." She sighed. She felt like this was becoming a stock answer to anything and everything. She was feeling more confident in her role on the team, but still, these simple questions and experiences through her for a loop every time.

"Ah, well, even if you had, you haven't really experienced it until you try my world famous meatballs," he said, with a twinkle in his eye.

Jane's mood instantly brightened. She loved how he could make this all seem normal, as if this truly was a once in a lifetime experience, instead of something that every other person in the world had done a million times over. Somehow, he always knew just what to say. "Well then, how can I help?" she asked, the grin returning to her face.

Kurt expertly showed her how to boil the water for the noodles, adding salt just as the water reached a full boil. Weller showed off the small herbs that he kept in the window, pinching off a few leaves to season their dinner. They then started on the meatballs, Jane adding the ingredients and spices as Weller instructed her. She laughed as he took her hands, helping mix everything together. She couldn't get over the feeling of squishing the raw meat between her fingers, just barely resisting the urge to flick it at Kurt every time he laughed at her. Together they rolled them into meatballs, dropping them in the skillet, the oil sizzling as they splashed in. As they cooked, the smells filled the kitchen, and Jane's mouth started watering as she realized just how hungry she really was.

Kurt had just started getting the plates down from the cabinets when a loud boom shook the apartment, and all at once, they were surrounded by darkness. "Weller?" Jane's voice was panicked.

"Right here, Jane," he said, keeping his voice calm. He reached out, trying to remember exactly where she was just a moment ago, thankful when he hand touched her arm. "It's just a power outage. Let me find a flashlight, okay?" His hand travelled down her arm, never leaving her skin, until he was able to grasp her hand. He knew they had a flashlight around here somewhere – maybe in the junk drawer? His free hand reached down, rummaging around until he found what he was looking for. He turned it on, pointing it towards Jane. Her face was still panicked, although she relaxed slightly when she could see again. He gently squeezed her hand, pulling her just slightly closer to him. "It'll be fine."

"Your stupid phone didn't know the power was going to go out?" she said, hoping it sounded more sarcastic than fearful.

"Not really. Power outages aren't exactly predictable." Truth is, he had turned off the notifications nearly 30 minutes ago. He had noticed Jane tensing up every time it buzzed, and with a storm this size, it would have continued on for hours. Besides, they weren't going to go back outside, so he didn't really need to know how bad the storm was getting. "It'll be fine. Power outages rarely last a long time, maybe just a couple of hours. Lightning probably just hit a breaker somewhere along the line." He carefully placed the flashlight on the counter, before reluctantly dropping Jane's hand.

Jane's hand felt suddenly cold after Weller let go. She found herself hugging her arms as she watched him expertly walk around the darkened kitchen, gathering up the plates and utensils they still needed for dinner. He placed a heaping pile of noodles on each plate, before topping it with meatballs and tomato sauce. "Dinner is served," he said with a smile, handing her a plate.

She returned the smile, the food smelled heavenly, and she couldn't wait to get started. Kurt handed her a can of beer, then grabbed his plate and the flashlight, and Jane started to head towards the table.

"Uh uh uh, not eating there," Weller gently chastised her. Jane looked at him confused. Kurt pointed the flashlight towards the balcony, the wide glass doors showing off a few chairs and a small table outside.

"We're eating out there?" Jane asked in disbelief, her eyes wide.

"It's covered, as long as we don't get too close to the edge, we'll be fine."

Jane's eyes narrowed, but she slowly walked towards the door, hesitating as she reached it. Surely, that this was some sort of prank he was playing on her. They couldn't really be eating outside, could they? But sure enough, Weller was there in an instant, right behind her, pulling the door open.

The cool, wet air rushed in, and Jane unconsciously flinched at the sensation. She inched forward, still unsure. But as Weller followed her and slid the door closed behind them, she realized it must really be happening. They were going to eat outside. Jane reluctantly admitted to herself that he was right – it was and although the very edge of the deck had some water pooling on it, the rest was completely dry.

"See, safe and dry," Weller reminded her, setting down the flashlight and plate on the table, pulling the chair closer. He turned to the side, where Jane noticed a small, rubber chest. He pulled out a lantern, placing it in the center of the table. He lit it with matches that he had stowed in his pocket. "And, thanks to these, the bugs won't get us."

Jane couldn't help but laugh. "There are no bugs stupid enough to be out in this weather. Even bugs are smarter than us."

"True, but these are the only candles I can find, so, if the bugs come out, they still won't come near us."

Weller's enthusiasm was contagious, and Jane found herself getting excited about eating dinner while outside. The thunder still made her tense, but it did somehow have this magical quality about it, as they settled down in the chairs. They were safe and dry, and yet still, surrounded by this massive storm. Jane curled up, resting the plate on her knees.

Jane carefully chose her first bite, making sure to get both the meatball and spaghetti. Weller laughed as she tried to finagle the long strands of spaghetti onto the fork, finally giving up and letting them dangle off the end. She put it in her mouth, the ends of spaghetti hanging out her mouth, leaving a smudge of tomato sauce on her chin as she sucked them in. She had a look of ecstasy as she tasted the meal, and Weller couldn't help but be proud. "See what I mean?" he teased. "The best spaghetti and meatballs you've ever had, right?"

Jane smiled, before shoving another bite in her mouth. "Yes, the absolute best. Now you eat yours before I steal it," jokingly stabbing her fork towards his plate.

Weller obediently took a bite, but still found his attention on Jane. The next few minutes were quiet, as they both enjoyed the meal.

"Does it storm like this often?" Jane found herself asking Kurt about halfway through the meal.

"Not usually, especially not this late in the year. In the spring, we'll get a lot of rain, and maybe a few storms. But actually, a few years ago, there was a hurricane… It hit about this same time, late fall. It was such a fluke though, so late in the season, it usually doesn't even come this far up the coast. But it caused a lot damage with just the wind and water, trees down, power outages and fires..." Jane's eyes went wide, and Kurt immediately felt guilty for even bringing this up. "It wasn't as bad as it could have been. And trust me, this storm is nothing compared to that. This is just a simple thunderstorm." He found himself reaching out to touch her hand, just a small act of comfort. Besides, it was his fault he got her worked up in the first place. He didn't have to talk about Hurricane Sandy. This storm was nothing compared to that, and all he had done was make Jane even more nervous than she had been. So he gently squeezed her hand, letting her know, in some small way, that it was alright.

They finished their meal in relative silence, a few comments and laughs as the tomato sauce dripped, or whenever the thunder echoed in the distance.

"So, why did we eat outside, instead of inside, like normal people?"

"Eh, normal is overrated." Weller replied, only then realizing how that might sound to Jane. He knew all she longed for was to be normal – someone with a name, with a past. He gently rubbed his thumb over her hand, and continued. "Besides, everyone needs to experience the full power of a thunderstorm at least once."

"I have to admit, it is pretty amazing." She found herself enjoying it more and more with every passing moment. Even the thunder and lightning, which had originally been making her tense up, was now almost relaxing. She felt like she was experiencing the true power and beauty of nature, in a way she never could have imagined before.

"There's even a word for this…" Weller paused, trying to remember what his sister had said. "Chrys… Chrys… Chrysalism. Something like that. But it basically means this – that indescribable feeling you get while being inside during a thunderstorm."

"Chrysalism." Jane repeated. She liked the way it sounded, liked having a word to describe this moment. She wanted to be able to pull up this moment at any time from her memory. The way the sky was dark until the lightning flashed, and then for that singular moment, it seemed like the whole world was bathed in light. The way the meatball tasted when she first bit into it, with the slightly crunchy exterior, and the wonderful blend of spices and textures that Weller had managed to bring out in it. The pounding of rain, echoing from every surface, the hard pings from the metal drains and cars, the gentle drops on trees and plants, creating an unmistakable, but altogether soothing melody. But most of all, she wanted to remember how she felt. How safe and comfortable it was, natural even, to be sitting outside with Kurt for hours. The stolen glances between each other. The way their hands kept finding each other, and when he would gently rub his thumb on the back of her hand. She knew she wanted to remember this forever. "Chrysalism," She repeated once again.

As another clap of thunder sounded, Weller chuckled. "When I was 8, I convinced Sarah that thunder was the sky burping, and she needed to say 'excuse me' every time. So, the next time there was a storm, Sarah kept running around, screaming 'excuse me' at the top of her lungs."

"No way," Jane said. "She didn't actually believe that, did she?"

"Swear to god. My mom kept trying to ask her what was going on, but it was thundering so much, she just kept getting interrupted by 'EXCUSE ME!'" Kurt did his best impression of a young Sarah screaming.

As if on cue, a large clap of thunder rumbled, and both of them in unison looked up and said "Excuse me!" before doubling over in laughter.

As they settled down, a peaceful silence fell over them. They both settled back into the chairs, their hands still together, resting on the table in between them.

Jane's quiet voice interrupted the moment. "Tell me more, about back then."

Kurt thought for a moment. "You always hated storms. I remember once, when we were camping, it was a big storm like this. Apparently no one thought to check the weather before we left." He gave a small chuckle. "Anyways, we were stuck inside the tent all night, and neither one of us could sleep. So we just stayed up, all night, talking, and making up silly stories." Kurt paused; he couldn't tell her the rest. It felt too personal, even to share with her. Or maybe he just was thinking too much about what it would be like to do it again tonight. Being in the same room, him gently rubbing her hair, comforting her. No, they couldn't – wouldn't – do that. "But we must have fallen asleep at one point, because when I woke up, you were outside, jumping in all the puddles around the campsite."

Jane smiled, trying to picture herself as a little girl, jumping in puddles, without a care in the world. "What else?"

Kurt continued to tell her stories, bringing up memories even he had forgotten about in the 25 years since her disappearance. The conversation shifted to their current lives, trying to steer clear of heavy topics, but instead keeping light, jokes about the office and the team, wondering what they were doing right now, building on each other until they came up with the craziest ideas possible (the idea Reade doing a rain dance in the middle of Times Square had them both laughing until they cried).

The lanterns slowly flickered out, only then did they notice how late it was. The rain had nearly stopped, and the thunder was further off in the distance. The moon was almost full, finally peeking out from behind the clouds. Neither one was quite ready to admit to being tired, even after a soft yawn escaped Jane's lips. They stayed outside for a little longer, watching as the dark neighborhood came back to life after the storm. They heard the normal nighttime noises, as friends left bars, a little too inebriated to notice how loud they were; horns honking at the slightest perceived slight on the street, slamming doors; and happy reunions between friends.

The quiet moments between them grew longer and longer, until Kurt looked over to see Jane's eyes half closed and he could tell she was fighting to keep from giving in to sleep. "Come on," he said, tugging on their still intertwined hands. "Time for bed."

He expected some resistance, for her to deny that she was tired, insist on just a little longer, but she gave none. She silently stood up, and together they made their way inside.

Weller led the way back to his sister's room, the door still open from when Sarah and Sawyer had left long ago. He knew how hard it was for Sarah and Sawyer to share a room that was barely big enough for one of them. Sarah tried to make sure Sawyer kept his toys in their room, leaving the rest of the apartment to Kurt. But it still caught him by surprise as he looked into their room. Sarah's bed was pushed into a corner, with one side of the bed completely overtaken by Sawyer's stuffed animals. Their clothes were spilling out of the closet, and Sawyer's toys were all over the floor. Kurt felt guilty for every time he complained about one of Sawyer's toys left in the hallway, or when Sarah was hogging his bathroom. He would try and cut her some slack when she got back. But right now, he was worried about tonight. He knew that logically it made sense for Jane to sleep in Sarah's room. It was empty. If Sarah had been there, Kurt would have given up his room in a heartbeat for her. But tonight, the room was empty, and there was no logical reason for them to switch. Except for the fact that no one should be subjected to sleeping in a bed with half the animal kingdom in it.

"We'll just borrow some of Sarah's pajamas so you can change for overnight." He walked over to the dresser, balancing the flashlight in the crock of his neck, as he rummaged around, trying to find something that looked like pajamas. "But I'll sleep in here, you can have my bed," he offered, trying to sound casual about it.

"No, don't be silly. This is fine." Jane walked over, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Besides, maybe I always wanted to sleep with a… otter," she laughed, picking up the animal that was closest to her.

"Trust me, no one wants to sleep with an otter," he said, trying to grab it from her, as she quickly pulled it away laughing.

"How do you know, maybe otters are one of my favorite animals? This guy does seem pretty cuddly." Jane hugged the otter close, snuggling with it, and Weller couldn't help but smile. Jane was acting so natural, so carefree. A quick flash of her panic and dread from earlier today popped in his mind, and Kurt knew then that he had made the right decision offering to drive her home.

"Fine, but don't come crying to me when you wake up in the middle of the night because the shark is attacking you," he teased, shining the flashlight on another stuffed animal on the bed.

Jane studied the large shark. "Um, yeah, maybe we'll just put that one of the floor." She laughed as she reached over, pulling the shark across the bed. "Seriously, how does anyone sleep with this? It's almost as big as Sawyer."

"What's worse is he's had it for years. I think it _was_ bigger than him when he first got it." Weller's cheeks flushed slightly as he handed her some of Sarah's pajamas. "I think these will fit, but um, feel free to dig around and find anything else if you think it'd be more comfortable."

Jane took the pajamas, giving a quiet smile as she noticed him blushing. His scruff was longer than it was in the mornings, she noticed, it looked so soft, and after she had been holding the otter, she couldn't help but imagine running her hand over his cheek in that moment. She started reaching out, but immediately withdrew her hand, placing it on top of the pajamas. "Thanks, these'll be fine, I'm sure."

"Okay, um," Kurt stumbled over what to say next. "There's the bathroom," he said, shining the light in the general direction. "I'll leave this flashlight here. I've got one in my bedroom if I need it." He placed the flashlight on the night stand, standing up so it illuminated the room like a lantern. "I'll just be in my room. If you need _anything_ ,"

"I know," she said, cutting him off. He was always there when she needed him, even if she didn't even know she needed him. She couldn't help but be grateful as she thought about how differently the evening had gone. She couldn't imagine what would have happened had the power gone out at her safe house and she was alone. Sure the detail would have probably come to check on her, and would have stayed had she asked. But she knew she wouldn't have asked. But somehow, with Kurt, it felt different. It was never an issue of asking him to stay, asking him to do anything. He just knew what she needed.

Kurt reluctantly gave her one last smile before retreating, pulling the door closed behind him. He left the door open just a crack, the same way he did for Sawyer.

He made his way down the darkened hallway by instinct, and sat in his darkened bedroom in silence for a minute. He heard Jane moving around, getting ready for bed herself, before the quiet squeak of the mattress assured him that she was settling down for the night. Only then did he allow himself to get ready. He stayed awake longer than normal, listening for any sound from Jane, anything that could signal her getting up, unable to sleep. But there was nothing, and soon enough, he found himself unwillingly drifting off to sleep.

Around 3 am, Kurt was wakened by the sound of the heater turning on. He groaned, and a quick glance at the clock showed it blinking 12:00. The power must have just come back on, he realized, rolling over to go back to sleep. But all at once, the memories of the previous night came flooding back. Jane.

Kurt knew he was a light sleeper, and for all he knew Jane had slept right through the quiet hum of the heater. But all he could picture was her in a fright, waking up to an unknown noise, in an unknown room. He had to check on her, just make sure she was alright.

The instant he left his room, he was blinded by the light from the living room. He cursed himself as he remembered turning on the lights when they first arrived home. Why didn't he think to turn them off? Usually that was the first thing he did when the power went off, for this exact reason. He grumbled, walking around flipping switches until the room was once again dark. Only a small light remained, coming from the small crack of Jane's open door. He remembered that same, small light greeting them as they arrived home. It felt like forever ago now.

He quietly pushed the door open, feeling guilty at this invasion of privacy, even when it was his own house. But he had to make sure she was okay. He couldn't shake the image of her panicking when she woke up. And if she really hadn't already woken up with all the other noise, the light was sure to arouse her earlier than necessary.

The light switch was just inside the door, he reached over, and was about to simply turn it off, when he caught a glimpse of her in bed.

Far from being awake and panicked, she was asleep and looked absolutely serene. Her legs were splayed out across the bed; her arms were tucked up under her head, with her hair spread across the pillow. And right next to her, snuggled up, was the otter.

Kurt smiled, hitting the light switch, and the apartment was dark once again, as he slowly made his way back to bed himself.

* * *

I have honestly no idea how this happened. I blame **Terp4Life** , and the same massive storm system that inspired us both. Thanks.

As always, favorites/follows, and especially reviews are much appreciated! Thanks for reading!


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